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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to requirements for the early college education program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 29.908, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsections (b-3) and (h) to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) The program must: |
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(1) provide for a course of study that enables a |
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participating student to combine high school courses and |
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college-level courses during grade levels 9 through 12; |
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(2) allow a participating student to complete high |
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school and, on or before the fifth anniversary of the date of the |
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student's first day of high school, receive a high school diploma |
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and either: |
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(A) an associate degree; or |
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(B) at least 60 semester credit hours toward a |
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baccalaureate degree; |
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(3) include articulation agreements with colleges, |
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universities, and technical schools in this state to provide a |
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participating student access to postsecondary educational and |
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training opportunities at a college, university, or technical |
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school; [and] |
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(4) provide a participating student flexibility in |
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class scheduling and academic mentoring; |
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(5) allow a student to participate in the program |
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without receiving a scale score that indicates satisfactory |
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performance on a college readiness assessment instrument |
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designated by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board under |
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Section 51.334; and |
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(6) provide flexibility for school districts' and |
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open-enrollment charter schools' committees described by |
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Subsection (b-3) to have discretion over the eligibility of a |
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student to participate in the program, including by allowing the |
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student to be exempt from an assessment requirement related to the |
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program. |
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(b-3) A student's eligibility to participate in the program |
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shall be determined by, as applicable: |
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(1) the student's admission, review, and dismissal |
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committee; |
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(2) a committee established for the student under |
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Section 504, Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. Section 794); or |
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(3) if Subdivisions (1) and (2) are not applicable to |
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the student, a committee composed of the student, the student's |
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parent or person standing in parental relation to the student, a |
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school administrator, and a teacher. |
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(h) A high school designated as an early college high school |
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shall report through the Public Education Information System |
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(PEIMS) the number of students who were dismissed before graduating |
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from the high school in conjunction with the student's performance |
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on applicable Texas Success Initiative (TSI) college readiness |
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benchmarks prescribed by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating |
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Board under Section 51.334 on an assessment instrument designated |
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by the coordinating board under that section, disaggregated by |
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students' race, ethnicity, sex, grade level, and status as: |
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(1) students enrolled in a special education program; |
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(2) educationally disadvantaged students; |
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(3) emergent bilingual students, as defined by Section |
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29.052; and |
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(4) students experiencing homelessness. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |